§ SIR FRANCIS CHANNING (Northamptonshire, E.)To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the names of the present Members of the committee of inquiry into matters relating to railways which was nominated by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for the Carnarvon District in February, 1907, and the names of the members, and the functions of each of the sub-committees appointed by that body; when he anticipates that the labours of the committee are likely to be brought to a conclusion; and whether the recommendations and reports of the general committee and of the sub-committees will be presented to Parliament.
(Answered by Mr. Churchill.) I cannot yet give my hon. friend any information with regard to the nature and date of any reports of the Railway Conference beyond that contained in my reply to his Question of 18th May. I shall be happy to send him a list of the present Members of the Conference and of its various sub-committees. The Conference, as I have previously explained, is not bound down by any rigid terms of reference.